Taiwan-U.S. jointly developed drone completes system integration

Taipei, Feb. 6 (CNA) Taiwan's National Chung-shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and U.S.-based defense company Kratos announced Friday that they have successfully completed system integration of the Mighty Hornet IV attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), ahead of flight tests scheduled for later this year.

The test confirmed the operational capability of an NCSIST-provided payload and mission system integrated with the Mighty Hornet IV airframe, without requiring design revisions, Kratos said in a press release issued Thursday (U.S. time).

According to the release, an NCSIST technical team traveled to Kratos' design and production facility in Oklahoma City this week to finalize system requirements and complete design work.

"The milestone established the baseline for flight testing later this year," Kratos said.

The Mighty Hornet IV represents a "revolutionary transformation" of Kratos' MQM-178 Firejet target drone, on which it is based, the company said.

"Ultimately, the objective is to have a large quantity of Mighty Hornet IV systems in Taiwan, delivering affordable mass, as both a deterrent and ready for operational deployment," Steve Fendley, president of Kratos' Unmanned Systems Division, said in a statement.

Based on specifications released by NCSIST, the Mighty Hornet IV has an operational range of 1,000 kilometers.

At last year's Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition, Chang Wen-tzung (張文總), programs manager for NCSIST's Unmanned Aerial Systems division, told CNA that the Mighty Hornet IV can be configured as a reconnaissance, decoy, attack or target drone, depending on the payload it carries.

Chang said the drone is planned for volume production in Taiwan this year if flight tests are successful.

In a statement released Friday, NCSIST said the Taiwan-U.S. collaboration has enhanced Taiwan's UAV system integration capabilities and deepened bilateral defense cooperation.

It has also helped Taiwan establish a defense industry collaboration model that facilitates exports, the institute said.

Describing the project as "more than a weapons development project," the NCSIST said it marks an important milestone in Taiwan's efforts to build self-defense capabilities.